


The Game

by PlumDeviant



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe, Dragon Ball Z - Freeform, F/M, Lemon, Slow Burn, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-22
Updated: 2020-11-08
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:35:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 21
Words: 21,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21903841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PlumDeviant/pseuds/PlumDeviant
Summary: Set in a AU where Vegeta and Kakarrot live with the humans on earth after saving it from Frieza. Yamcha is a world-class thief and playboy. Bulma is his arm candy in public but engineering slave in private. Vegeta is the Saiyan that has hit a dead end in his training and needs new ideas. Bulma and Vegeta cross paths and find that they can help each other.  Behind the scenes is a mastermind, placing the pieces on his board to get what he wants. The mastermind has a score to settle with the Saiyans.
Relationships: Bulma Briefs & Vegeta, Bulma Briefs/Vegeta, Bulma Briefs/Yamcha
Comments: 39
Kudos: 60





	1. Setting the stage

**Author's Note:**

> First post. I hope this makes for several chapters. Enjoy and Thank You for reading!!
> 
> I do not own Dragon Ball or any of its forms.

Bulma

"Yamcha, what do you need this time?", Bulma said belligerently. She was tired, hungry, and downright irritable. She had been in her lab since five this morning. She moved the microscope to a higher power so that she could place the gear in the right position. She was almost done with this project. Just a few more tweaks and it will be one of the most brilliant objects she had ever created. "I would watch that tone of voice Bulma. Would you like to get on my bad side again?" Yamcha said as he moved closer to inspect his new tool that was sitting on the table in front of her. Bulma sighed and straightened up to peer at him from across the table. "I apologize Yamcha, how can I help you?" She watched him pick up the watch that she had just finished. It was a beautiful piece of work. It had taken her a month to get the adjustments just right. Each button on the side did something different. She remembered watching old spy movies and their clever inventions. Her creations were better of course, but not used for something as amazing as spying. Her creations were meant for the underworld. At least the ones that the public did not know about.

"I am in need of your presence tonight. The city is holding a charity ball in honor of those... Saiyans. The funds are to assist those who lost their homes during the Frieza attack. A noble gesture. And a perfect cover for some scouting. The city will expect its brightest scientist and most famous baseball player there to shake hands and conjure up funds. I expect you to be ready by eight tonight," Yamcha said as he walked around the table to stand behind Bulma. "I want you looking your best. So eat something. You look pale." Bulma nodded her head in compliance. "Good girl. Your daddy would be proud." Bulma sucked in a sharp breath and turned to smack him across the face but he was already striding out the door. Bulma sat down on her stool and hung her head. It had been two years since his death and it still hurts. Two years of grief and servitude to the monster behind the pretty face. He may know her dark secret but one day she would find a way out. For right now however, there was a party to get ready for.

Vegeta

Vegeta sighed as his door bell rang. He had just finished a punishing 12 hour workout and was just going to take a shower to work out the muscle kinks. He hated visitors. Not that he ever had many. He lived away from society for a damn good reason. He hated people. Most were beneath his intellect and did not deserve his time. There are moments when he regretted saving this mud ball. But the reason it was still standing in good condition was standing outside his door right now. He could feel Kakkarot's ki. They were the only two full blooded Saiyans left in the galaxy. So he tolerated the idiot's presence. Sometimes. 

He walked over to the door and opened it up. Kakkarot stood there in a suit and tie. It took a moment for Vegeta to gather his wits about him. He had never seen Kakkarot dressed up. He always wore his training gear. Something was up and Vegeta knew he was not going to like it. "What do you want?" he asked the other male. Kakkarot chuckled and scratched the back of his head. "Ah Vegeta, you must have forgot what day it is. It's the anniversary of us saving Earth. So they are throwing a big party in town and want us to attend. Chichi says there will be a huge buffet with every kind of meat and noodles know to man! Chichi is already there so I came by to see if you were ready to go." Vegeta cursed under his breath. Dammit, he hadn't forgotten. He just had hoped that Kakkarot would forget about him for once. "I don't want to go mingle with these humans, Kakkarot. Their parties are...vulgar and beneath me." Vegeta left him standing at the door as he walked back towards his kitchen. He grabbed a gallon jug of water and started chugging. He will admit that the water on the planet was wonderful. It did not have the dirt and sand particles that Vegetasi did. "I know you don't like them Vegeta," Kakkarot replied as he followed behind Vegeta. "But I think there is a good reason for you to go. There will be a scientist there tonight. Bulma Briefs. She is the smartest woman on this planet. She can make amazing things. I know you know of Capsule Corp. Your house was built by them! She is the owner of that company. Plus, I hear she is working on a project that could possibly help us train." Kakkarot smiled as he said the last bit. He knew Vegeta had been restless. Their fights had been stalling, with neither gaining much ground. 

Vegeta cut his eyes at the Saiyan. Damn the male. He knew just what buttons to push. He hated the idea of asking a human for help. But his desire to be stronger, faster, and better was more important. For this, he would do just about anything. Even talk to a female human and see if she had some device that he could use. "Fine Kakkarot. I'll be ready in ten minutes." Vegeta walked off down the hallway. "Don't forget the tie!" shouted Kakkarot. Vegeta flipped him off as he closed his bedroom door.

Unknown

The boy was late. He was always late. But that was ok. His usefulness would soon run it's course. The players were getting in position and the game would soon begin. He would have the technology he wanted and those Saiyans on their knees begging for mercy.


	2. Ocean Eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The ball begins and heads clash.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I enjoy writing a few chapters with a certain song in mind. This is "ocean eyes" by Billie Eilish.

Bulma

Bulma watched the lights pass outside the limo window. The night was one of those humid, hot nights. She felt a chill crawl up her spine that had nothing to do with the A/C. Yamcha was in top form tonight. Tuxedo and diamond cuff links. He was talking quietly on his phone across from her. Every now and then he would glance her way. He seemed troubled tonight. More on edge than usual. She hated when he was like this. His remarks were more cutting and it was harder to keep the facade up in front of company. She had three items on the agenda tonight. The first was to meet and greet with as many people as possible. She truly did believe this was a great benefit. She made sure Capsule Corp donated heavily each year to a worthy cause. This year, the big check would go to this fund raiser. She would give a speech, smile, and dance with the big wigs. Her second item on the list was to scout the place with her electronics. The ball was being held at Mr. Satan's place. A grand house in the middle of the city. It would be impossible to search in detail the entire house. So, inside her evening clutch were tiny fireflies. She made these about a year ago for a different job. They were beautiful, crafty little things. They would fly off into the house and scan every room, window, entrance and hallway. The information would then be sent back to the computers at her house. With that data, she would have a perfect layout of the house. Her third and final piece was all for her though. She had not had the chance to meet with the Sayians that had saved Earth. She was hoping to talk to one tonight. She needed information that only they could provide. 

The limo rolled to a stop in front of the wide steps leading up to the house. The mansion was ablaze with lights. There was a red carpet leading right up to two huge oak doors that held the likeness of Mr. Satan himself in all his World Championship Martial Arts glory. She shook her head slightly. She honestly liked Mr. Satan, but he could be a bit pretentious. His heart was in the right place though. She stepped out and moved to the side as Yamcha stepped beside her. Camera's went off and questions were shouted loudly by the reporters clogging up the lower steps. "What is the new invention, Ms. Briefs?" "How is the season going Yamcha?" "Will you two ever tie the knot?" The last comment made bile come up in Bulma's throat. At one time, Yamcha and her had flirted and went on a few dates. Things were innocent. Or at least she thought they were. How little did she know what would happen by letting him in her life. She smiled and waved at the camera's as her hand rested on Yamcha's arm. He would laugh and comment to some of the reporters. They moved up the steps seemlessly and into the massive foyer. A maid came forward to take their cloaks and they were led to the large ballroom in the west wing of the house. Right before they entered, Yamcha leaned down and gripped Bulma's arm tight. "Remember your job Bulma. We wouldn't want any bad press tonight would we?" Bulma jerked her arm away and looked ahead into the ballroom. "Remember Yamcha. One day, I will be free of you. And when that day comes, you better run like a little cockroach." With those words she stepped into the ballroom and drifted away into the crowd. She was never truly without him around, but at least the crowd afforded some separation. 

She walked over to their assigned seat and sat her clutch in her chair. She left it open just enough for the tiny fireflies to get out and begin their scan. They drifted through the crowd like bright glitter floating in the air. She watched one make its way to a door and disappear down a corridor. She let out a sigh and turned to greet Mr. Satan. "Mr. Satan! Oh its wonderful to see you! How have you been?"

Vegeta

Vegeta stood in a dark corner by the buffet table where Kakkarot was systematically making his way through each plate. He was a quarter of the way down and not a crumb left behind him. The servers were watching on in horror. He chuckled internally. These humans think this is what happens when a Saiyan is hungry. They should see us after a battle. It was because of them that there were no more all-you-can-eat buffets in town. He scanned the crowd again, looking for someone that at least looked like a scientist. But there were no white lab coats, no large glasses sliding down noses, and no hunchbacks. He acknowledged to himself that he was probably profiling, but he didn't have much else to go on. There was a slight commotion near the stage. The main speaker was about ready to do their piece. Vegeta sighed and glanced at the stage. 

She was the most beautiful woman he had seen since he landed on this mud ball. She wore a blood red dress that hugged her curves in all the right places. A slit up the side went high up on white, alabaster thigh. Her black heels made her three inches taller, which would put her slightly above his eye level. The only jewelry was a simple black choker around her throat. But it was her hair and eyes that held his gaze. Cerulean blue. Her hair fell in waves down her back, curling at the end. Her eyes were lined in black that made the blue shine even brighter. He didn't have many memories of his home Vegetasi, but he remembered a sacred lake. This lake was deep in a cave. Above it, through a hole to the surface, the sun would shine down onto the lake and light it up. Saiyans went there to drink from the water when they came back from their first purge mission. Her eyes were like that lake. Pure, bright, and fathomless. She stepped up the microphone and started speaking. He didn't hear a word she said because all he could focus on was the color of blue. Kakkarot came up and clapped him on the back. Vegeta swung around with his fist in the air. Kakkarot took a step back, "Woah there Vegeta. I didn't mean to startle you. What were you staring at?" Kakkarot looked toward the stage. Vegeta glanced back, but the blue one had already left the podium. "Kakkarot. Who was that woman just speaking?" Vegeta asked as his gaze scanned the crowd again, looking for the flash of blue. "Ah! That was Bulma Briefs. She's the scientist I wanted to meet to discuss her new invention. Lets go grab our seats before dinner starts and we can find her afterwards." 

Vegeta and Kakkarot moved to where Chichi was sitting in front of the podium at the table of honor for the Saiyans. "Hey Chi, this food is amazing!" said Kakkarot. Vegeta was still watching the crowd. He couldn't believe that the blue one was the scientist that would help him ascend. No beauty like that would get their hands dirty. At least thats what those stupid shows portrayed. "Oh Goku, you wouldn't believe who stopped by our table. Bulma Briefs! She told me she wanted to speak to Vegeta and you. I think she has some questions or something for you guys. She said she would be back shortly." Just as Chichi finished, Bulma materialized out of the crowd a minute later and walks over to greet the Saiyans. "Hello. My name is Bulma Briefs. It's great to finally meet you. I hope you are enjoying yourselves. These things must be a bore after your adventures," Bulma says with a chuckle. "You must be Kakkarot and Prince Vegeta of Planet Vegetasi. It is an honor to meet you both." She holds out her hand for Vegeta and Kakkarot to shake. Kakkarot pumps her hand enthuasitically. Vegeta stares into her eyes as he gently shakes her hand. "You are a scientist?" he curtly asks. "Oh. Well there are all types of scientists. I happen to be a brilliant engineering one. I can't help but fiddle around with gears, electricity and all the fun things in between. I'm glad you asked though. I would love to ask you a few questions, scientifically speaking of course. If you don't mind?" She smiled brightly. She never broke eye contact with him. Not many people were able to look long into his eyes. He has been told his stare is like looking into hell itself. She has gumption, he would give her that. What could she possibly want to know about Saiyans that she could apply to her inventions? Well, if she wanted answers, he wanted some in return. "I also have some questions regarding your inventions. Lets go to a quieter place." He took her arm and was about to lead her off across the room when he realized she hadn't moved. She looked at him in alarm and fear. The fear wasn't for him though. He knew when it was directed at him. This was about something else. And it looked like that something else had put a hand on her shoulder. He looked at the male standing behind her. He had black hair and a scar across his cheek. His power level was weak, but the female smelled like fear. "Bulma, I see you have met the guests of honor. I wanted to introduce you but you beat me to it," he said as he squeezed her shoulder just a little tighter. Bulma winced a little but smiled at the same time. "Oh Yamcha, I just couldn't wait. But now that we have been introduced, lets go find our seats for the dinner," she said as she tried to steer Yamcha away. "Why do you fear him? His power level is barely above yours" Vegeta said. He was not one to mince words and did not like puzzles. He also had the strange urge to blast the man away from her. "Excuse me? I fear no one Saiyan. You are mistaken. Yamcha and I have been together for awhile now. Why would I go out with someone whom I fear? Maybe you took too many blasts to the head Vegeta. You really should have that checked out" Bulma snarled back at him. Her eyes flashed blue fire and her spine straightened even more. She raised her chin and looked at him like he was a peasant. Vegeta was just about to make a scathing retort, when she turned on her heel and walked away. Nobody talked to him like that. How dare she talk to the Prince of all Saiyans like she was better. Vegeta's ki flared around him. He took one step toward where Yamcha and her had disappeared when Kakkarot stopped him. With a hand on his bicep, Kakkarot leaned close to whisper to Vegeta. "It is not what it seems. I will explain later." Vegeta glared at Karrarot. He turned toward to the exit and left the ballroom. He would not be in the presence of that woman any longer, mystery or not.

Unknown

All the players have met each other. Ms. Briefs still has fire left in her. I was concerned that maybe two years had been too long. That is good to see. It will serve me well. I need to find out more about what makes the Saiyans tick. I think another meeting is in order. The thief will have to allow his pet a little free time if this is to play out right.


	3. To make a Schedule

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A surprise visit to Bulma's office.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter for now. I prefer Bulma to be a little more mature. But I love the original characters as well. As always, thank you for reading!

Bulma

A week after the charity ball, Bulma was sitting in her office at Capsule Corp. Though she spent all her free time in the lab for Yamcha, she still had a company to run. Looking down at the financial reports, Bulma did not notice the figures standing at her door. "Bulma! You work too hard!" cried Mr. Satan. She jumps in her chair and lets out a startled yelp. "Why Mr. Satan, what in the world are you doing here? Not that I don't mind the company but this comes as a surprise." She walks around her desk to go hug her long time friend. "Well Bulma I have actually come to ask a favor of ya. You see, I have two friends here who need helping out. They heard about your new invention and would like to try it out." Bulma walked back to her desk, "Ok. You know I don't mind helping out. But I don't see how they are going to be much help with the GR. A person can barely stand in it with it only at 1 times more than Earth's gravity. I completed the project because my dad had started it. I don't know what his intentions were with it, but I know I'll find something useful to do with it."

"Humans cannot withstand heavier gravity because they are puny. We are not." Oh no. She knew that deep voice. She practically had it memorized. Her cheeks flushed red and her heart sped up. Vegeta. That sexy scoundrel decided to walk into her domain? She looked behind Mr. Satan and there stood the two Saiyans. Kakkarot waved at Bulma. "Hi ya Bulma. Good to see you again. This place is awesome!" "Hello Kakkarot. I'm glad you like it. I will you give you a tour someday." She ignored Vegeta to ask Mr. Satan what his plan was. "You see Bulma, we may have another threat against the planet at some point. I'm not getting any younger and can't defend this place like I used too. The boys here need more than what Earth has to offer in the way of training. They were hoping to use your GR to train in heavier gravity." Mr. Satan looked at her pleadingly. She leaned back against her desk as if she was debating whether or not she would let the Saiyans use the machine. She didn't let on that this was exactly what she was hoping for. She had not only finished the GR, but she added her own special touches to it. She was hoping that she could convince the Saiyans to use it for training so she could study a few things. "How long would you like to use it for? Minutes, hours, days? I know you are much stronger but a body can only stand so much gravity." "Tch. Vegetasi was fifty times Earths gravity. I practically float here. We know what we are doing. So just let us use the damn machine, woman." 

"Now see here Saiyan, I am a busy woman and have to make appropriate arrangements. I don't just waste my day floating around," she threw back at him. "I will make a schedule. And if, and thats a big if, you don't kill yourself at two times gravity, we will make small increases to see what you can handle. Now if you will excuse, I must get back to work. Mr. Satan, you should come by more often. We haven't had a proper lunch in years." 

She watched the men leave the room. She couldn't help but admire the way they moved. Kakkarot was the taller Saiyan and always on his toes. Vegeta walked like the king he was supposed to have been. Shoulders back. Head held high. And a swagger that would make any woman blush. Yes, Bulma just couldn't wait to get them in their training clothes and in that GR. This might actually turn out to be more pleasant than she expected.


	4. Start the Show

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bulma gets a reprieve and the GR starts up. Yamcha starts the heist. And the Unknown is slowly drawing them in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter! Happy Holiday's everyone! Thanks for reading.

Unknown

"Yamcha, you are to give your little engineering slave some time off. A couple of days during the week. I need her to be focused on a new project. Those Saiyans are going to get stronger from what I understand. And I need the data she gets from them. You are not to interfere. Complete your current mission. It is of vital importance. That is all." The little pawn will not like that order. But like a good little solider, he will do what he is told. Or else.

Bulma

Two days after the meeting with Mr. Satan and the Saiyans, she stood in her lab at the house wondering how the hell she would work this into her schedule. She really didn't have the time. With the projects Yamcha demands and that of her business, she barely has time to sleep or eat. She was starting to lose weight, and for a girl of her figure, that was not good. 'Sigh. What am I to do' she pondered. 

Bang! The lab door flew open and Yamcha stormed in. 'Uh oh. Something is up. He is pissed.' "Bulma! There has been changes to my schedule and needs. As such, I am allowing you to have off Fridays, Saturdays, and Wednesdays. I will not need your services after work. You have made plenty of gadgets to get me through this next job. Lets see if you can behave yourself during this time. But remember Bulma, don't try to backstab me during this little reprieve. I will destroy your entire world otherwise." Yamcha looked at her with a glare and then strode right back out of the lab.

'What in the world was that about? A sudden reprieve? Something is up and I don't like it. This is not like him. Either way, this gives me just the time I need to help the Saiyans. And hopefully, help myself in the meantime.' She continued to work on her latest project, a device that would inject a bio-toxin into the skin on a handshake. The person would not feel the delivery and it would not effect the wearer until directed by a remote from the user. The victim would then go to sleep for 24 hours and not remember a thing. She hated using her genius for bad things, but it had to be this way. For now at least. 

A few hours later she stretched her back and looked at the clock. 2 am. 'Well, I have tomorrow off. Kind of. I'll text Mr. Satan and tell him to have the boys at the house by 9 am. I'm going to need my coffee first to handle this.' She locked her lab up and went to bed. She went to bed with a glimmer of hope that maybe things were finally looking up.

Vegeta

"Alright Kakkarot, what's the deal with the woman?" he asked as he sat down to eat at Kakkarot's table the next morning. His wife, Chichi, was annoying to say the least, but she could cook. Not that he would ever tell her. He grabbed a large bowl of eggs and chowed down. He remembered back at the ball that Kakkarot said that not all was what it seemed. He wanted to know what that was. They did not hang out much beyond training and eating so he did not know what he did in his spare time. Whatever it was, it gave him some info on the scientist. "Oh. You mean Bulma" Kakkarot sighed out. "Look, right before her father died, he contacted me. He asked if I would protect Bulma if anything happened to him. I was a little unsure why he would ask me. He said that only the strongest being could protect her. I told him I would do my best. Well, he died a few days later and I tried to go to her house after the funeral. I wanted to introduce myself. But that man, Yamcha, stopped me in the driveway. He said that he knew about the arrangement between her dad and I. He said that as her boyfriend he would protect her and would call me if I was needed. I didn't think anything of it at the time. So, I went back home. But I kept an eye on the place afterwards. I noticed that she only went to work and back home. She never went out in public unless it was with that man. He would come and go but she never came outside. I began to think something was up but I couldn't put my finger on it. So, I have kept tabs on her for the past two years. And I tell you Vegeta, something is not right there." Kakkarot finished his explanation and began to dive into his breakfast. 

'Hmm. Interesting tale but none of my concern. I just want results from this machine of hers. And if that Yamcha was there, well he would just have to get the hell out of the way or else. No one stood in the way of his training.' He continued to muse about what training regime he wanted to try first. Katas would of course always be the warm up. Afterwards, he would see how much the GR could take.

Later that Morning

Bulma

"Coffee. I just need coffee" she muttered to herself. She poured herself a huge cupful to shake the cobwebs from her brain. She looked at the fruit bowl, but she didn't have much appetite. She grabbed an apple because she needed at least something on her stomach. As she sat down, a loud knock sounded at her door. She picked up her phone, looked at the door camera and buzzed them in. She called out, "In the kitchen!" She sipped her coffee and closed her eyes. 'Just two minutes to enjoy my coffee. And then we start.' She held up two fingers as they entered the kitchen. They stopped and watched her. She put down one finger. And then the last finger. She sighed and turned around on her stool. Now there was a sight for sore eyes. She briefly scanned Kakkarot in his orange gi. He had an excellent build, but it was the sight of Vegeta that she enjoyed the most. Those eyes were focused on her with laser intensity. She remembered looking into those eyes at the ball. As crazy as it seemed, she understood the controlled chaos she saw there. Not the killing instinct, but the iron will it took to control such power around humans. She continued her gaze down. A black, spandex one piece that covered him from neck to ankles. The fabric hugged every muscle like it was poured on him. There was not much left to the imagination. 'Damn. I haven't seen a body like that since...well ever. Kami, I could just bite those biceps. I wonder what his ass looks like.' "What are you looking at, woman? We haven't got all day," Vegeta demanded of her. "Hmph. Well Mr. Grumpy Prince, I was in fact admiring your clothing. It is not of Earth material I am certain. I would love to test it. Why don't you take it off while training?" Bulma smiled right at him. 'Oh look at that blush. Isn't that just cute. I think I'll like getting under this one's skin.' Before Vegeta could retort, she turned down the hallway to her bedroom. "Make yourselves at home. I'll be right back!" She walked into her room to get dressed for the day. She may have spent a little more time with her makeup and hair than for a normal day. She went to collect her Saiyans and took them to the other side of the house where the GR was housed. Crossing her fingers, she hoped this would go ok and nobody got hurt. 5 hours laters Vegeta

'Move. Blast. Counter attack. Move. Don't stop. He will go here. His fist will be there.' He flew around the GR with Kakkarot, battling it out in 100 times gravity. It felt good. Real good. His muscles screamed at him. He was forced to concentrate on his movements more. Sweat drenched his suit. This is what he needed. A challenge. A blast from Kakkarot flew by his head, and he responded with his own ki blast. Instead of waiting for it to hit, he moved directly behind it to where Kakkarot knocked the ki blast way but did not see him from the glare until the last minute. He got a good uppercut in and Kakkarot went spinning. A little blood dribbled down Kakkarots chin. The smirked at each other. The GR suddenly shut down and the sudden loss of gravity made both of them fall to the ground. The door opened and the blue woman stood in the silhouette. "Hi guys. You've been in here for awhile. I need to compile and compress the data that I gathered before I start the machine up again. I also want to check it for repairs. I have lunch ready so come on out and eat." She moved back outside, leaving him staring at the door. She had the audacity to interrupt his training! "Great! Food! I'm starving!" Kakkarot barreled for the door. He followed more slowly. 'What data could this woman be compiling on us? Even if she learned our weaknesses and moves, there is nothing she could do with the information.' He walked out of the GR over to where the woman was at her computer screen. Her fingers were flying over the keys. He could practically see the wheels turning in her mind. 'Smart and beautiful. Thats a dangerous combination. Where she lacked in physical strength, she looks to make up for it in her brain.' He edged a little closer to look over her shoulder. He caught of whiff of her scent. Jasmine and metal. 'What an odd combination. It's not unpleasant. It smells feminine yet....The metallic smell.' He took a deep breath right at her shoulder. She jumped around quickly but he had already moved back. They stared at each other a moment before he turned and went to eat. Her scent continued to linger in his senses.

That Night

Bulma

'The data is good. It's a good start. I got a measure of their ki blasts. Each in varying degrees. It seems like they can control the amount of energy in each blast. The blasts are hot. Very hot. It will be hard to create a containment system for one. The GR barely held up to it. I'll need to reinforce the sides more. I would love to study a ki ball more closely. Without it launching at me of course! I thought Vegeta was going to tear my head off when I opened that door.' She chuckled. That look on his face had her blood humming. She always had something for bad boys. It had been awhile since she got down and dirty with someone. But now was not the time for that. She had more scenarios and diagnostics to run. She couldn't wait till next Wednesday!

Yamcha

'Those fireflies of Bulmas worked so well. I just need to create the perfect distraction, and the computer will be mine. I don't care what's on the computer but the client is paying a pretty penny for it. I'll be able to help myself to some pretty jewels as well.' He couldn't resist a pretty jewel. They had never failed to give him satisfaction, unlike women have. He thought they were useless creatures. Only good for bedding and cooking. Bulma had her smarts and she was beautiful, but she was like all the rest. They thought only of themselves. He shook his head so he could focus on setting the explosive. It was time to start the show!


	5. Power

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The unknown gets his prize and so does Yamcha. Bulma and Vegeta also gets a win in their corner as well.
> 
> Implied sexual content.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize if I vary in the name spelling of Kakarrot and for any time differences. With my first chapter work, I didn't realize how hard it would be to keep track of the time!! Also, if you have seen Demons and Angels, the Dan Brown book adaption, you will get a good idea of the canister idea.
> 
> Thank you readers for the messages and kudos!

Unknown

"If you would look behind me, you can see the large hole that was blown into the side of Mr. Satan's house. No one was injured in the explosion sources say, but Mr. Satan will be making a statement later on today. It is unknown what caused the explosion. Stay tuned for more information." The TV was turned to mute. 'The little thief did quite a good job. I got the computer. Now on to next stage.'

Yamcha

He entered his secret hideout out in the mountains. A cave entrance on the outside, but a bed of luxury on the inside. The only person allowed here was his partner in crime, Paur. She was his accomplice in all his heists. She was not here today but enjoying their recent haul. He walked to the back of the cave where he opened a glass case full of his treasures. There in the center was an empty holder. It had been waiting for a certain piece. He had first seen it on Mr. Satan's wife, Vanna, a few years ago. A 15 caret flawless ruby on a chain of pure gold. The simplicity of the design is what made it so stunning. It did not need diamonds or emeralds to surround it. The ruby's depth made a person think of the blood coursing through the heart. A fire that could not be quenched. He withdrew the ruby necklace from his pouch and placed it reverently on it's pedestal. He stood there for an hour gazing into the ruby as his thoughts wandered to the past.

Bulma

'Holy shit! I hope Mr. Satan is all right. I'll give him a call after the press conference and check in on him.' She turned off the tv and walked outside to the GR. It was about time for the guys to be done in there. Tonight, she would ask Vegeta for his help. Kakarrot was nice but he had a wife to go home to. She didn't want to intrude on his family time. She fiddled around with her computer until she heard the GR shut down. They came out, sweating and heaving. They had worked up to 500 times Earth's gravity. With her additional bots, she felt that they were given a really good workout. "Vegeta, I need to speak with you." Vegeta walked over to her. "What do you want woman?" he grumbled. "I need your help. The GR has helped you gain in strength right? I really hope it is working like you wish. I enjoy helping out friends, and I consider Kakarrot and you as my friends now. I'd like to show you what I have done with the information that I gathered from your training sessions. Also, I need some of your ki! So follow me to my lab, Prince."

In her lab, Bulma pulled out a canister. It had a glass cylinder with a thick metal top and bottom. She unscrewed the top of the canister and pressed a button on the bottom. A faint hum could be heard emitting from it. "Vegeta, I need you to conjure up the smallest ball of ki you can. About the size of a quarter. I need you to push it slowly into the canister. I'm going to seal it in. And hopefully it won't explode!" Vegeta stared at her for a full minute. She couldn't tell what he was thinking, but she got a sense he was weighing her. He sighed and held out his hand. A small blue light formed in front of his palm. It slowly drifted over to where she held the canister out. As soon as it was at the dead center of the glass, she clapped the top closed and held her breath. "Let go of the control Vegeta" she whispered. He waited a few seconds longer and then lowered his hand. The ki held stable in the center of the glass. She had done it! She had contained the ki. She took the canister over to its charging port. The battery would only hold for twenty minutes by itself. If the battery ran out, the ki would escape. She breathed a sigh of relief. She had done it! She grinned and whirled toward Vegeta. She threw her arms around his neck for a big hug. He stood there with his hands by his side, stiff as a board. She didn't care though. She was laughing and crying at the same time. She pulled back slightly and kissed Vegeta on the cheek. "Thanks, badman" she whispered to him. She pulled back further to look at his eyes. That blush came back across his cheeks but there was a new glint in his eyes she hadn't seen before. She was seeing a hint of that passion that he kept so well controlled. A little unnerved, she stepped away from him and coughed. "Well that went well. Good thing it worked right?! Now let me show you what I have gleaned from all that training you two have been doing."

Vegeta

'The woman was a certifiable psycho. Not only does she attempt to harness his ki and succeeds, she hugs and kisses him! What woman does that to someone who has laid waste to thousands of beings? And why the hell does she make me want to fuck her and shut her mouth mouth at the same time? All I want to do right now is gag her with her shirt, bend her over that desk and fuck her senseless. Gah, she gets under my skin!' He continued to watch the woman power up her computer and begin pulling up stats on the screen. He took a closer look at the monitor when an image of Kakarrot and him came on the display. "Okay Vegeta, here's your special treat. I have used the bots to analyze your moves. With this new program, they will now anticipate your moves more accurately. They will learn from your fighting style and react to your weak points. It will force you to come up with new defenses and attacks. Pretty brillant huh?" Bulma looked over his shoulder at him and grinned. "Your telling me that these bots will react to our training with our fighting styles?" he asked. This would be incredible. Right now, they just deflected his blasts. But to have the blasts come back at him at his weak spots would increase his training. He will be able to perfect his form. "Make these as soon as possible. They will be adequate to our training needs" he smirked. Bulma narrowed her eyes at the work 'adequate'. He began walking to the door of the lab. Before he left, he turned back to look at her. She was fuming. She didn't like that adequate remark at all. He smirked again. "And woman. The next time you touch me, be prepared to face the consequences." With that, he left to fly back home and take a cold shower.


	6. The Secret

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bulma tells her secret.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning, This is def not the Yamcha from original (and wonderful) Dragonball. The only similarity is his looks, he is a thief, and a baseball player. Violence against another in case you have triggers.  
> Thank you! I always enjoy your comments and suggestions!

Yamcha

'It's been a couple of weeks now. I need to check in on Bulma. Puar said there's been no suspicious activity on her computers and she hasn't gone anywhere. Probably banging those Saiyan monkeys that are hanging around. Damn. I can't believe I slept with her. But it got me what I wanted.' He chuckled without mirth. He pulled up outside of Capsule Corp and walked into the house. He went down to the labs where he knew she would be. He pulled open the door and glanced inside. She was typing away at her computer while a blue orb glowed beside her. 'I wonder what that is? It looks very familiar.' 

"Bulma! What are you doing? Have you even managed to create something else for me to use? Or are you wasting your time with your guests?" He stalked over to her to look at the blue orb. It seemed to be suspended in midair. It looked almost alive. 

"Yamcha. I have a company to run. Despite your hold over me, you are not the center of my universe!" Bulma yelled at him with her hands on her hips. "And for your information, I have updated the fireflies and developed a new cloaking device that will shut down any electronics within 20 meters of the wearer. They are over there. Get them and leave. When you need something specific, let me know. You are always interrupting me for things that can wait." Bulma turned her back on him, but that was her mistake.

He reached out and grabbed her by the arm. He swung her around and backhanded her across the cheek. She fell down on the floor with a thud. He pulled her up by the arm he still had a hold of. Shoving her into the nearby wall, he gripped both her arms and got in her face. "If you ever talk like that to me again, I will destroy you Bulma. Not physically because that would be no fun. No, I will show the world how you killed your father. I will play the recording on every tv and video screen across this world. Your company will crumble. Your little side projects and do-good grants will turn to dust. Think of those orphans without your money to help them. Now, be a good little slave, shut up, and continue making me devices. I haven't got another job yet, but you never know when opportunity will strike." He grinned and patted her cheek. "See you later Bulma."

He walked out of the lab and up to the kitchen. As he made him some food, he looked down at his phone. He had a message from The Unknown. He hoped it was another job. He was eager for another stint. He pulled up the message and read:

"Next objective is to find the hideout of the Saiyan Vegeta. Send coordinates by the end of two weeks." 'Hmm, this should be interesting. Difficult but I think I can manage. Besides, how smart can that monkey be.'

Later that night

Vegeta

He flew through the air toward the woman's house. It wasn't a scheduled training day and it was late at night but he didn't care. All he could think about was perfecting his form. The GR was a marvelous machine. The woman knew what she was doing with those computers and machines. What she lacked in strength, she made up for it in brains. Most of the time anyways. He landed in the courtyard and walked to the front door. She had given Kakarrot and him access to the house and GR thru a biometric device by the doors. He held up his palm to scan and went inside. He passed the kitchen and noticed a light was on. He could sense her small ki inside. It was unusual for the woman to be up at this hour in the kitchen. She was either in the lab or asleep. Despite his inner reservation, he walked into the kitchen. The woman was eating from a bowl with her hair down around her face. He sensed that something was wrong but didn't know what it was. He walked around the breakfast bar to make his presence known. She jumped when his shadow fell across the bar. She looked up quickly at him and then back down. It was long enough though to notice the bruise on the side of her face. "Jeez, Vegeta. What are you doing here? You scared me half to death!" She put her face in her hands and sighed heavily. 

"What happened?" he asked quietly. He knew the difference between a bruise that was caused from an accident versus an intentional one. This one covered her right side from jaw to eye. It was a dark purple, so it was fairly new. He felt this rage building up inside him. He did not like to see her hurt. He didn't know why, but he really did not like it. 'It must be the fact that she is the key to my training right now. I can't have her damaged and unable to function. Yes, that is why I am angry.' He told himself this but he felt there was another reason entirely. He pushed the feeling away. "Explain. Now."

"What do you care? I can still work a computer." Bulma got up to put her bowl in the sink. He gently captured her wrist as she moved beside him. She stiffened and stood very still. He turned her toward him and raised her chin so he could look at her. "What happened? I will not ask again." He watched her blue eyes closely. A tear seeped from the corner of her eye and fell on his hand. "I can't do this anymore" she whispered. He saw shame and weariness fill her eyes. "Vegeta, I can't on like this anymore. My plan isn't ready yet, but I can't continue to live like this." She stepped away from him and sank down on a stool. Her shoulders folded in and she heaved a large sigh. He had never seen her look so defeated. He stood there and waited for her to speak.

Bulma

Tired. She was so tired. And there Vegeta was, standing so strong. Nothing fazed him. She could tell him her secret and maybe he would go about his way. It wouldn't concern him, but she had to tell somebody. Maybe he could help her come up with a better plan. He was a brilliant strategist when it came to battle. This was her battle, but she could use the help. If not, then all she had to risk was losing his respect. That hurt more than she wanted to admit. But she would tell him. The whole story.

"Two years ago, I killed my father. I was out partying with some friends and Yamcha. I got drunk. More so than usual because I don't remember much after we got in the car to come home. Yamcha drove me home and dropped me off. I remember going down the stairs to the labs. I don't know why but I felt like I needed to tell my dad something. It was right there, on the tip of my tongue. Whatever it was, it was very important. I still don't know what it was that I was going to tell him. I walked around the lab looking for him. I remember seeing him bent over his microscope. He looked up at me and smiled. I remember that crooked smile. I stumbled onto a nearby table and it turned over. A fire started. A huge fire that couldn't be contained. The sprinkler system was going off, but it was like the fire had a mind of its own. It was between my father and I. I couldn't see him thru the flames. I screamed and called out for him. Yamcha showed up to drag me away. Later, he said he forgot to get something from my room when he heard the screaming. The firemen came to put out the flames. My father was nothing but ashes by the time they got it subdued. A week later, Yamcha came to me and presented me with a video. It was a recording of the incident. He told me that if I worked for him as a secret, the video would never be released. Its been two years. I can't work for him no more. I want my life back!"

She looked up at Vegeta. He stood staring at her with his arms crossed over his chest. "Will you help me Vegeta? Please?"


	7. A Piece of the Puzzle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Vegeta's prodding, Bulma begins to put the pieces of the puzzle together that fateful night two years ago.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter I know!!! lol. I will try for longer chapters in the future. 
> 
> As always, thank you for reading and I love your feedback!

Unknown

"The data results from Brief's work on the Saiyans is excellent, Sir. With this information, I will be able to build the device you need. I can have it done in about a month, with a little bit more help from the data still being collected." 

"Excellent work, Dr. Gero. Keep me updated." Just a little bit longer and I will have my revenge. I had waited this long. A few more weeks would not be too much more.

Vegeta

"Why would you ask me and not Kakarrot?" he questioned her. He had listened to her story intently. It was an astonishing story. Yet something did not seem right about it. He would ask a few questions and see if he wanted to help or not. By helping her, she could focus more on his training gear. Of course, without the threat of exposure hanging over her head because he had no taste for such dishonorable tactics like that.

"Kakarrot has a family at home. I would not want to involve him in just in case there is a fallout. As far as I can tell, you are a loner" she answered him. She was sitting there in her white tank top and dark blue overalls tied around her waist. He didn't like to see her this dejected. 

"Tch. Well that clown wouldn't be able to help anyways. He is not one for strategy. I will ask a few questions before I decide whether or not to help you." He crossed his arms over his chest and stared down at her blue eyes. Again, he was reminded of home and of the scared lake. He took a deep breath to refocus but her scent got to him again. 'Damn this woman. It's hard enough to concentrate when she's around and now I need my wits about me to figure out what to do.' He turned to walk to the fridge to start making him some food. He might as well eat before training so that his stamina would be in peak form. 

"Do you normally black out and don't remember things when drinking?" he asked.

"No. It's actually never happened before. The bartender must have put more alcohol in there than usual."

"Does Yamcha stay here often overnight?"

"No, not at that point. He stayed over once, but that was it. The few times we were intimate, he left afterwards so I could go work in the lab. Afterwards, he would stay over quite often to 'keep an eye on me' or that was his excuse."

"Was there another escape route your father could have gone to to escape the flames?"

"Hmmmm. That was his personal lab. I have mine and he had his. I didn't go in there too often. When we worked on a project together, it would usually be in my section. I wasn't familiar with the layout. I only have one entrance into my lab. So I don't know. If he did, why wouldn't he have used it?" Bulma's brow furrowed as the wheels started turning. "I don't think much of that night. I don't like remembering it."

"How did Yamch get the tape?"

"I don't know. He wouldn't tell me when I asked. The cameras are on an internal loop. How did he hack my computer? He's not the brightest when it comes to electronics. Also, I have only seen the recording once. The camera was on top of the door. You can see me coming in and the rest of the events." Bulma started tapping her fingers on the bar. He could tell that his questions were starting to put some points together. He had a suspicion that Yamcha had orchestrated the whole thing. But why? Just to have Bulma create technology for him? A piece was missing. He hated missing pieces. 

Bulma stood up suddenly. "That son of bitch!" She turned and ran off toward her lab. He followed, slowly, wondering what had caused that trigger. He found her at her computer, furiously typing away. He looked over shoulder to see what she was doing. Eight different squares showed up on the screen. They were each a different view from a camera placed around the property. She typed in the date of the incident 2 years ago. They watched together what had happened that night. He saw Bulma being dropped off at the front of the house. She was weaving a little bit on her feet. She went inside and you could see her on the camera heading towards the labs. "The camera in dad's office was too damaged during the fire" she commented softly. Another camera saw her enter what must have been her father's lab. Bulma pointed to the square that showed the outside of the house. Yamcha came around a corner of the house, but not from the driveway like he had parked his car outside. This was from a corner that led to the backyard. "Why was he in the backyard? How did he get back there? The back wall is at least 10 feet high and I'm pretty sure he can't jump that high." They both watched as he entered the house calmly and walked towards the labs. He paused and stood in the hallway for a bit. Yamcha then jogged towards the lab where you could see smoke coming from the door. He took a device from his pocket and put it to the hand scanner. The door opened and he went inside. A few seconds passed and they could see him hauling Bulma out and away from the flames. Bulma paused the videos right there. She stood very still, barely breathing. Suddenly she slammed her hands down on the table and screamed so loud he had to cover his ears and back away. She took another breath, leaned her head back and screamed again with pure rage. She lowered her head and looked over to where she was working on the 'projects' for Yamcha. She walked over to the table and tossed it over. He watched her stomp on the bits and throw the pieces against the wall. Watching her rage, he felt his battle lust growing. He enjoyed seeing her wild with a temper. Her cheeks were flushed red and her eyes sparked with blue fire. Her screaming hurt his ears but he loved the primal sound of it. She was always so put together and in control. Watching her lose it gave him such a hard on that he was afraid he would have to cup himself to relieve the pressure. She turned toward him, chest heaving. He watched as she walked toward him and punched him on the chest. She did it again and again. He only raised his eyebrow at her and smirked. He grabbed both hands and held her wrists with a light pressure. "Woman. What did I tell you would happen if you touched me again?"


	8. Frustration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bulma works her frustration out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sexual content. If you don't want to read this part, its ok. You won't miss anything important. This is for those who like the one on one contact with the characters. 
> 
> My first semi-lemon.

Bulma

Kami, but was she pissed. The rage burned hot and bright. Destroying the work she had done didn’t help as much as she was hoping. She looked around for something else to work her frustration out on. There. Vegeta. He was just standing there, with that smirk on his face. She stomped over to him and punched him right in the chest. 

‘Oh that felt good.’ 

Again, she punched him. And again. And again. She reared back to hit him with both her fists this time, but he caught both her wrists. She looked up at his face. Her chest was heaving. Her face felt flushed. 

“Woman. What did I tell you would happen if you touched me again?” Vegeta growled at her. He tightened his grip just a little more. 

He moved so quickly that before she knew it, she was against the wall. Her hands trapped above her head. He leaned in and grazed his teeth across her neck and lightly bit her.

“I’m waiting for an answer, Woman.”

“You…you said I would face the consequences. Well bring it on Badman. Show me what you got.” She lifted her chin, staring into his eyes. She dived deep into those pools of darkness. She knew he was dangerous. She knew there was a madness in there, tightly controlled. She wanted that wildness. She craved it.

Vegeta laughed softly. “Oh woman. The things I would do to you. Let me give you a taste.”

He moved her hands farther up the wall and gripped them with one hand. With his other hand, he cupped her chin. His hand engulfed her lower jaw. He tilted her head to the side. Again, he grazed his teeth along her neck, down to her collarbone. He nibbled her collarbone. The only thing that was touching her was his hands and his mouth. She wanted his heat from the rest of him.

She thrust her hips out to reach him. 

He moved his head back and stared at her. “No. You are not in control here. Stay still.”

She took a deep breath. She didn’t like losing control. But his grip on her hands were lose enough. His hand on her jaw was holding her steady, no bruising her. She took another deep breath and relaxed against the wall. She let some of her weight hang from her hands. 

“Good girl.”

He slid his hand from her jaw, down to her tank top. He continued to stare at her as he ripped her shirt down the middle. The two sides hung from her shoulders. Her blue bra, the color of her hair, pushed her breasts up, with a deep cleavage in the middle. 

Vegeta ran a finger across the top of one breast onto the other. Goosebumps spread across her chest. “I won’t ruin this one.” He bent his head down and pulled her bra and nipple into his mouth. He lightly bit down on it. She sucked in her breath. Damn that felt good. She wanted more, but she held herself still, letting him do what he wanted. He moved to her other nipple and did the same thing. As he continued nipping and licking her breasts, he reached his hand down and gripped her ass. 

‘Kami, he is good. Please don’t stop. I don’t want him to stop.’ She felt her pussy get slick with her juices. She was so turned on, she knew it wouldn’t take much to bring her to orgasm. No one had taken the time with her like this. 

He moved his hand around to her front and slipped his hand underneath the coveralls. He cupped her sex and held his hand there. Her thong was soaked thru. He ran one finger across her slit. 

Vegeta drew himself up and looked into her eyes. He raised his finger and drew it into his mouth. She saw the desire there as well. He was sweating slightly. She glanced down and saw a bulge in his training pants. She lifted her eyes and stared back at him.

“I will be using the GR whenever I want. I will help you with your problem, but I need to think on it first.” With that, he took off quicker than she could see. 

She heard the GR start up. She slid down the wall, laughing helplessly. She was turned on so much, but no longer raging mad. She thumped her head back and stared at the ceiling.

“I’ll get him back for this. I swear it. But damn was it fun!” She chuckled as she stood up and walked to her bedroom to take a shower.


	9. A plan for Yamcha

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vegeta starts his plan for Yamcha

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am sorry for such a short chapter. It would have been longer, but my wrists are hurting. A longer chapter will come next, I promise!
> 
> thank you for reading!

A week later

Vegeta

He knew how to deal with the situation, but the woman probably wouldn't like it. So, he wouldn't tell her. At least not all of it. He was still not familiar with Earth's technology. He couldn't retrieve the video without knowing what he was looking for. Kakarrot would be no help in this matter either. He was too soft for this type of work, despite his fighting skills. This was a matter that needed a heavier hand anyways. The little rat would regret messing with the woman. Not that he cared about her feelings, of course. He just needed her focused on the GR training, he told himself. With Yamcha out the way, she wouldn't have to worry about all those other gadgets. And maybe she would be outside more in that little black 'bikini', she had called it. It was vulgar, but her curves showed just right it in. He shook his head to clear his thoughts and focused on the task at hand.

He flew off towards Bulma's house and waited in the shadows. The little thief usually made an appearance on the days that they weren't training. He had not been to the house lately. He was hoping he would be stopping by today. He sat down among the hedges lining the outside of the compound. He had to choose one of the taller ones because of his hair. He was out of sight of the cameras and would remain that way. He sat in a mediative state, staying tuned to his surroundings. 

A few hours later

It was growing dark by the time he felt Yamcha's ki approaching in a car. He opened his eyes and looked out onto the street. The little red car was turning the corner and headed this way. He stepped out of the bushes and into the street, right in front of the car. He put his foot out and slammed it into the front fender. A horrible screeching sound issued from the car and the person inside it. When the car stopped bouncing, Yamcha stepped outside, waving his arms around in agitation.

"What the hell, Saiyan? Have you lost your mind? You wrecked my car!"

He let a smirk cross his face and he narrowed his eyes as he stepped around the car. Yamcha held out his hands in front of him. Vegeta stopped right before the hands touched him. "You are coming with me." Quicker than the eye could see, he clocked Yamcha across the jaw. 

Yamcha fell onto the street, out cold. He tilted his head looking at Yamcha. He hoped he didn't put too much into the punch to have killed the human. Vegeta looked around and tugged the car over to a street lamp. He aligned it with where his foot connected with it. It was meant to look like the idiot had wrecked into the pole. He walked back over to him and grabbed the back of his shirt. He took off into the air, toward his cave, Yamcha dangling in his fist. He did not worry about the human remembering the way. He would be out cold for a while yet. 

Bulma

"Hi Mr. Satan. How's it going?" she asked, talking into her cell phone.

"Oh Bulma! It's good to hear from you. Thank you for asking. The disaster at the house is already being fixed. I don't know who would do such a thing! They stole a few things, but nothing that was irreplaceable."

She sighed and closed her eyes. She hated knowing that she was a part in that. Mr. Satan had always been nice to her and was considered a good family friend. She couldn't believe Yamcha blew up a part of his house! He was crazy to do that. 

"That's good to hear Mr. Satan. I just wanted to let you know that sending those Saiyans over was a great idea. I am getting so much data and new ideas from it! I would love to show it to you sometime if you have the time?"

"That would be great! How about we meet at our place next week. And invite Kakarrot and Vegeta. I can get their take on it too!"

"Of course. I'll email you the time. You take care Mr. Satan."

She hung up and sighed. She would make it up to him somehow.


	10. A Little Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vegeta has a little talk with Yamcha

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Mild Torture** If you don't like it, DO NOT read this chapter. Yes another short chapter. I'm sorry. Thank you for reading though. I really do appreciate it.

Vegeta

He had tied Yamcha to the only chair he had in his cave, facing the entrance. His arms were down by his sides, tied to the sides of the chair. Both feet were tied separately to the bottom on the chair. He didn't gag him. He needed him to talk. It had been many years since he had someone at his mercy. He had learned the fine art of torture from his father at a tender age. He would never forget the lessons. While he did not take pleasure from the act, he had perfected it. He might enjoy it this time though. There was a balance that must be held when you hold something's life in your hands. Humans were fragile creatures but still resilient. He would have to go slow with this one. 

'I need to wake this one up soon. I don't have much time before Kakarrot comes looking for me to go train. I will get the answers I want though.'

He walked over to the side of his cave and grabbed a bucket of water. He walked back and behind Yamcha. He threw the water over Yamcha's head.

"AAAAhhhhhh! Wha- Wha- What is going on? Where am I?" Yamcha struggled against his bonds, cursing under his breath. 

Vegeta smacked him in the back of the head. "Be quiet. When I want you to talk, I will tell you." He walked around in front of Yamcha and crossed his arms over his chest. He looked down at the human, his face impassive. 'Such a pitiful being. How he managed to pull off this devious plan is beyond me.'

"Vegeta! What are you-" Smack!

"I told you, you will speak only when I tell you." He delivered a few more open handed slaps to his face, being careful not to put too much behind the force to dislocate the jaw. 

With tears springing in his eyes, Yamcha glared at Vegeta. "Good dog."

Vegeta held up his left pointer finger and created a tiny ki spark. "You see this spark? It is a high intensity ki. Wielded correctly, it is the single best torture device I know. I am going to set this on your knee. It will burn through your clothes but not your skin. Because I have complete control of it. I can intensify or diminish he burn. The intensity is the only thing you control right now. You give me what I want, and it won't scar. If you don't, you will end up looking like a jig saw puzzle. So lets begin, shall we?"

He bent forward and place his finger over Yamcha's knee. Yamcha's eyes got big watching the blue spark burn through his pants. When it hit his knee, he started to whimper.

"Now, where is the video recording of the fire at the Brief's labs?"

"I don't know what you're talking about man." 

'Tsk, Tsk. Wrong answer." He moved his finger to move the ki spark down Yamcha's calf, intensifying it just to enough to get him grunting in pain. He continued to drag the spark down his calf and then across the top of the foot. He stopped there. He looked at Yamcha again and raised his eyebrow.

"Ok, Ok, the file is secured at my hideout. Puar made a copy to keep with her. I keep it with my other treasures. It's on a flash drive."

"Who is Puar?"

"She helps me out on jobs. She does the technology things. Security cameras and systems. We do a job and then go our separate ways."

"Why did you frame the woman? What was the purpose beyond the gadgets?" He had a hunch that maybe Yamcha wasn't pulling all the strings in this affair. Besides this Puar, he sensed there was another player on the board that he didn't know. 

"It was me. I needed her intellect. That's all. She's a freakin genius. Tech is becoming harder to bypass."

"Wrong answer." Vegeta dragged the ki spark thru Yamcha's toes and to the underside of his foot. He increased the ki energy more, and kept it steady as he worked it back up his leg and rested behind his knee. Yamcha was crying now. Tears coming down his cheeks, with his head thrown back breathing hard. He hadn't started screaming yet. But he would in time. 

"Damn you Vegeta. May you rot in hell!" Yamcha gritted out between clenched teeth. 

Vegeta chuckled. "I already have a reserved spot down there. It's the throne." He drew the spark across Yamcha's groin, winding around the ribs and back to the spine. He stopped it right over the lumbar spine. He knew exactly what Yamcha was feeling. And it wasn't pleasant. The whole lower body seizes. The nerves are on fire and the bones feel like they are melting in the body. 

"Aaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Mercy!!!! Please Vegeta, mercy!!!"

There was the scream. He moved the ki around to rest on Yamcha's stomach. "Who else are you working for?"

"I don't know who it is. We only speak to each other by phone. For thieves and others in the underworld, we have a network of communications. I was contacted by this person two years ago. A year after Kakarrot and you defeated Frieza. He said that I was to get on the inside of the Briefs compound. I was to arrange for the death of the old man and put Bulma under my control. She was just to fix and invent my gadgets until he said otherwise. I did one other job for him. I blew up a piece of Mr. Satan's house and stole a computer for him. I don't know what the end goal is or how it ties together." Yamcha hung his head down. His breathing was choppy and snot was running down his face.

"Can you contact this person?"

"Yes. But the person doesn't always respond immediately. It would sometime be a day or two before I get a reply."

'Hmm. As I thought, this is deeper than the surface. Someone has a grudge against the Brief's family.'

"Ok Yamcha, this is how things are going to be from now on. You will no longer harass the woman. In fact, you will not speak to her again unless I say so. You will take me to your secret hole in the ground. I will retrieve the flash drive. You will also get the copy from Puar. If she makes another copy, I'll kill her. And then we get to play this game again until I kill you. You will contact this unknown person and arrange a meeting. I don't care how or what reason you give, just get a meeting in place. I will be by your side until then. Do you understand me?"

"Yes. Just remove that ki. I'll do what you say."

"Oh we are not done yet. While this form of torture is great for getting answers, it doesn't do anything for me. I'll at least give you a fighting chance this time." He withdrew his ki. He untied Yamcha. Yamcha slowly got to his feet and stood there with his fists clenched at his side. 

"Put your hands up Yamcha. I know you can fight a little. Try to make this fun."


	11. Delivery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vegeta delivers a surprise to Bulma

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys. I know this is short, but work, school, and family keeps one busy!
> 
> Thanks for reading!

Bulma

"Hi ya, Bulma! How are you?" Kakarrot shouted from the front door. She was eating a sandwich in the kitchen when she heard the door open and Kakarrot come in. 

"Oh. Hey Kakarrot. I'm doing fine, thank you. Listen, have you seen Vegeta lately? We are having a dinner tonight with Mr. Satan and I would like for him to join us." 

"Funny you should ask that, Bulma. I've been by his place several times that past week and I haven't seen him. I don't know where he is. I'm sure he will show up eventually. He really loves training in the GR machine. Also, thanks for inviting my family tonight. It will be good for Chi Chi and Gohan to get out of the house a bit. All that studying will drive anyone crazy! He he he." Kakarrot scratched the back of his head.

She smiled at him. He was a really nice guy. Not the brightest crayon, but sweet. "I'm glad you could make it. I just hope Vegeta shows up tonight. Now, go ahead to the GR. I put a timer in there to shut it down to where you can get home in time to get changed. And yes, Kakarrot, you will change. Do not wear that Gi to dinner tonight." She wagged her finger at him and headed to the front door. She wanted to do some shopping for tonight. She wanted a pretty new outfit and a gift for Mr. Satan. Without him, getting free of Yamacha would have been almost impossible. 

'I hope I didn't scare Vegeta off, or he didn't get second thoughts on it. I haven't seen Yamcha either, so I don't know if that's a good thing or not. This is just got my nerves on edge until I figure out what the hell is going on.' She jumped into her car and took off for West City, hoping that the bustle of the crowd would push her thoughts away for awhile. 

That Evening

She stepped out of her bathroom, wrapped in her towel. She was slowly patting her hair dry when she noticed the balcony doors opened. 'I did not leave those open.' She walked over and closed them.

"You have piss poor security Woman."

She jumped and put her back against the balcony door. "Kami, Vegeta! You scared the daylights out me. What the hell are doing sitting in the dark? In my room? And where the hell have you been?" She was getting worked up pretty fast. All the tension she was carrying around started to spill out. "Next time, knock on the damn door would you?"

"Shut up and listen." Vegeta switched on the light beside the bed. He was sitting on her chaise lounge beside the bedside table. He leaned forward with his forearms on his knees. He was wearing his normal training clothes, but there were stains on it. Dark stains. Between his hands he was flipping something between his fingers. He saw her looking at the object in his hands. He held it up to show her the flash drive.

"I have the evidence of what happened. This is all that is left. Yamcha, it seems, was paid by an unknown source to kill your father and put you under his control. He doesn't know why but we will find out soon enough who was behind it all."

She slowly walked around her bed and kneeled down in front of him, clutching her towel tighter around her chest. She hesitantly reached out for the flash drive. He held it still, right in front of her. She looked up into his fathomless eyes. 

"I will not ask what it took to get this. But I owe you my life. Whatever your price, name it." She pulled the flash drive from his fingers and held it in the palm of her hand. A single tear fell from her eye to roll down her cheek. 

"One last favor. Please. Destroy this." She held up the flash drive for him to take.

He took it from her and held it in the palm of his hand. His hand flared with a blue ki charge and the flash drive was no more. She heaved a sigh of relief and sank back on her heels. She bowed her head and took deep breaths. She couldn't break apart yet. She had a dinner tonight. And Vegeta was sitting right there. He did not like weakness. 

"The only payment I demand is the one we already agreed upon. I will use the GR whenever I want. You can provide the upgrades and training simulations. I want to see more of what you can do."

She looked up into his face and stared at him. She couldn't believe that this was all he wanted. But she would give it her best. She owed him everything. "If you want, you can have a room here, whenever you like. It can be right near the GR. And food, of course. As much as you like." She stood up and walked to her closet.

"I am having a dinner tonight and I would like for you to join us tonight. Kakarrot's family will be there and Mr. Satan is coming by. He wanted to check in on you guys. If you need some clothes, I'm sure I can find something around here." She called to him from behind her closet door. She peaked her head around the door and he was just reaching for the door to the balcony. 

"I have my own clothes. I will be back in thirty minutes for this dinner of yours." He pulled open the doors and took off.

'What am I going to do about him?' She sighed and shook her head. She wanted to look her best tonight, and she needed to get started.


	12. Check

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The guests have arrived for dinner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title is in reference to Chess. 
> 
> Thank you for reading!!

Bulma

Everything was ready for dinner. She had the best restaurant in town cater the small get together. Only the best would do for her friends. Tonight, she was a free woman. And maybe she might flirt some more with the handsome Vegeta. She looked over the spread that the caters had put together. Five different meats, three different rices, potatoes, carrots, apples, corn, and more dishes being brought in. She turned to the side table to bring out the whisky and wine. She didn't know if the Saiyans drunk alcohol or not, but she was going to have a celebratory bottle. Or two. 

The doorbell chimed, and she went to greet her first guests. Opening the door, Kakarrot stood there with Chi Chi and their son, Gohan. "Hi guys! Glad you could make it! Come on in and relax. Dinner is almost ready."

"Thank you for inviting us, Bulma. Its a pleasure to take an evening off from cooking every once in awhile. I love to cook, but I hate doing the dishes!" Chi Chi said as she stepped into the house. She held out her hand for Bulma to shake. "It's a pleasure to meet you again. This is our son, Gohan."

Bulma bent down to Gohan's height. "Hi Gohan. I'm Bulma. It sure is nice to meet you." She gently held out her hand so that he could shake it. Looking up at his mom for assurance, Chi Chi gave an encouraging smile. Gohan looked back at Bulma and shook her hand. 

"Wow! For such a small hand, you sure do have a strong grip!" Gohan giggled and returned to his mother's side. "Please, make yourself at home. Kakarrot, you know where the living room is. Go get comfortable. We are waiting on a few more guests to arrive."

Just as the family walked into the living room, she heard a noise in the hallway. Turning the corner, she saw Vegeta striding down the hall. He had dressed simply for the occasion. She had dug up some clothes for him. He wore a black t-shirt that showed off every muscle he had. Thank god for stretchy material. His pants were a dark grey and his shoes were a simple pair of black sneakers. "Where did you come from?"

"I used the room near the GR. The one you said that was mine. I had to shower. The stink of Yamcha was clinging to me." He stopped in front of her. He slowly looked at her from the top of her head to the thin heels she had on. When his eyes returned to hers, he took a deep breath. A small light flared in his eyes. He slowly reached out a hand and caressed a finger across her neckline. She was glad she chose this dress. It was a simple cut in the front. It covered her from the collarbone down to her knees. The sleeves were wispy and fell from her shoulders down to her elbows. It was a deep blue color with small flecks of gold. She kept her makeup to a minimum and let her hair hand in soft waves around her face. The finger caused goosebumps to scatter across her torso and down her arms. She had to take a deep breath herself. When she did, she could smell a faint hint of Vegeta. He smelled earthy. Masculine. And Kami, did it turn her on.

"Well then. Kakarrot and his family are in the living room. I'm waiting on Mr. Satan, and then we can eat. So follow me badman, and we will get this party started."

She turned around and grinned. She had heard the quick, deep breath in when she presented her back to him. While the front of the dress was modest, the back was all skin. A thin gold chain went across the tops of her shoulders holding the dress together. One delicate chain hung straight down her spine to connect to two more gold chains that were placed right at her hips. She slowly walked forward so he could enjoy the way the dress shifted over her ass and fluttered at her knees. She heard him mutter a brief Saiyan word and then his footsteps following her. She led them to living room where the Son family was lounging in the chairs. 

"I will be back in a few minutes. I want to make sure the final dishes are done. Drinks are in that cupboard over there, and there is juice for Gohan as well." She turned around, smiled at Vegeta, and walked out the door.

A Few Minutes Later

Opening the front door for the last guest, she had a big smile waiting for Mr. Satan. "Hi Mr. Satan. I'm so glad you have arrived. Oh! It looks like you have brought a guest with you. That is great, of course! I made sure to order plenty of food." She laughed and opened the door wider to allow the two people inside. 

"My dear Bulma! It's a pleasure to see you again! I'm sorry I didn't tell you about the extra guest. We were having a meeting and I brought him along. Bulma, meet Dr. Gero! I think you will have lots to talk about. You both work in the same science fields!"


	13. Keep Your Friends Close...

Vegeta

This dinner was going to be the death of him. 'I hate gatherings. I would prefer to eat by myself. Why did I agree to this? That woman is going to drive me insane! Her smell. Her body. Gah! She won't get out of my mind! The only time I have peace from her is when I am training. But as soon as I stop, she's there. Lingering at the corners of my mind. I haven't fucked somebody in so long. Surely that is her hold on me. Her intelligence keeps me on my toes mentally, and her body...there are no words for that luscious piece of work.' He took another bite of the filet that he had grabbed before Kakarrot managed to get another one. He could eat his fair share of food, but Kakarrot was a bottomless pit. He would admit that though the company was a bit much, the food was excellent. The woman had good taste.

He glanced up and caught her eye across the table. She smiled at him. A bright, shining smile. Her eyes gleamed with happiness and life. He hadn't seen that look on her before. It made her sparkle like a supernova star. Something clutched in his chest. He absently reached up and rubbed the spot above his left pectoral. 'What the hell is this feeling? Whatever it is, I don't know if I like it or not. I want her to smile like again. At me.'

He gave her a slight smirk and returned to his food. Mr. Satan was sitting right beside him. He had brought a large briefcase with him. With his keen hearing, he could hear a faint hum coming from the case. 'I wonder what he has in there. Maybe it's a present for Bulma.' As he thought that, Mr. Satan cleared his throat to call for a toast.

"Friends! I would like to call a toast. Without friends like you, life is just too dull." He raised his glass up, and everyone took a sip except for Vegeta. He wanted to keep his wits about him tonight. He had a feeling that something bad was going to happen. He did not ignore his instincts when it came to danger. He took another look at Dr. Gero. He almost seemed half android. He didn't talk much either. He just sat there, staring at Vegeta and Kakarrot in turn.

Mr. Satan continued his speech after setting down his glass. "However, I like to follow the old saying of 'Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer'." As he said this, a silence fell over the table. Vegeta moved his chair back from the table slightly. Mr. Satan pulled up the briefcase and set it down on the table with a heavy thud. It broke the plate beneath it and tipped over his wine glass.

He slowly began to undo the clasps. "Two years ago, the threat Frieza came to Earth. The Saiyans, who had arrived only a few months before, went into an all out battle with him. It shook West City and the world with it. During that battle, my wife was driving home. A blue ki blast missed it's mark and hit her car. She was gone before she knew what happened." From the case, he withdrew a pair of gloves. They were bulky with wires crossing over the tops and palms of them. The hum started to get louder. He drew the gloves on slowly and strapped them down on his wrists. 

"My wife was also pregnant during that time. So you see, I lost the two most important people in my life that day. After that, the aliens took their place as saviors of our world. Nobody cared about the human, Mr. Satan anymore, or his accomplishments. I was no longer the strongest man alive. So I hatched my plan. With the help of Dr. Gero and Bulma, though not to your knowledge Bulma, I have created a device that will make me equal to you monkeys. All that information you gathered on the Saiyans were sent directly to Dr. Gero. You really need to amp up your security, dear." He drew out a thin collar device that he placed around his neck. It was shaped like a torque, with two glowing blue orbs on the ends.

Mr. Satan looked up and it was not the same person they always saw. Gone was the jolly man with a smile. His eyes were hard. His face an impassive mask. "Bulma, you were a means to an end. I did not want harm to come to you, but you seem to have taken a liking to these Saiyans. And Kakarrot, why should you have a family, when I cannot have mine. Vegeta, it was your thirst for battle and personal vendetta against Frieza that led to this." Mr. Satan began to stand up, and Vegeta launched across the table to tackle Bulma to the floor. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Kakarrot do the same with his family. An electrical static dispersed thru the air, making everyone's hair stand on end. 

"I will end you all. And finally half my peace."


	14. Check Mate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The battle between Mr. Satan and the Saiyans begin! Bulma must fight her own battle for a bit as well!

Bulma

"Ahhhhhhhhhh." She landed hard on her back as Vegeta tackled her from across the table. He came out of nowhere. The next second, she felt an electrical charge fill the air. Like the feeling you get when lightening strikes nearby. 

"Get out of here, Bulma. Take Kakarrot's family with you, and get somewhere safe." Vegeta blasted a whole thru the wall behind them. "Kakarrot, your family is to follow Bulma to a safe place. I'm going to take care of this imposter." Vegeta jumped up and practically threw Bulma thru the opening to slide across the floor and into the far wall. Another hole appeared and out came Chi Chi and Gohan sliding across the floor too. She jumped up to see Vegeta fly at Mr. Satan with his fists raised. Kakarrot was powering up a ki blast from the other side. She looked around for Dr. Gero but couldn't see him.

She ran over to Chi Chi and Gohan, helping the little one up. "Come on guys. Follow me!" She took off down the hall towards her lab, with the little family in tow. She was almost there when she saw the door to her father's lab open. She slowed down a little and glanced behind her. 'I'll get them to my lab and show them the safe room. Then I've got to see why my father's room is open. I didn't see Dr. Gero in there earlier so he may have found his way inside.'

"Chi Chi. Gohan. In here. This is my lab. I have a safe room in here in case anything goes wrong with an experiment. It's blast and sound proof. It has everything you will need. Water, food, a bathroom, and a couch. I have to go check on something, so I will be right back." She hurried the family inside and engaged the security locks. She ran out of her lab and back down to her father's lab. She paused to catch her breath and to approach quietly, just in case someone was lurking around.

She got to the door and peaked around it. She quickly covered her mouth with her hand so her gasp couldn't be heard. Dr. Gero was storming thru her father's lab, tearing up everything he could. She could hear him muttering to himself.

"Where are they you old fool? I know you hid them somewhere in this lab." He tossed another table over. "I will find them. And my wishes will be granted!"

'Wishes? What in the world could he be talking about? Whatever it is, he thought my dad had it. Dad never really kept secrets from me. I don't know this guy but he seems to know my dad. I've got to stop him. The Saiyans will have to handle Mr. Satan. The least I can do is take out this trash.'

She stepped in the middle of the doorway, put her hands on her hips, and raised her chin in the air. "Hey! You! Get the hell out of my dad's lab and my house!"

Dr. Gero stopped stomping around to turn and look at her. "Ahhhh, Dr. Brief's daughter. He talked about you so much. He wouldn't shut up with how brilliant you were and that you would one day surpass him. Now, tell me where your old man hid the Dragon Balls!"

"Dragon Balls? What is that? Never mind, how did you know my father?"

"What? He never spoke of his partner? The great Dr. Gero? Of course not, I guess. I was his dirty little secret. You see, your father and I worked on a project together. But it got to be too much for him. He didn't want to complete it. He said that we were taking science too far! Science can never go to far! But he slipped up one night. He said he had a way to wish for whatever he wanted. And he would use it to stop me if it came to it. Now, I know he has the Dragon Balls somewhere here. He would have kept them close by. Unless..."

Dr. Gero looked intently at Bulma, with a twisted grin creeping across his face. "Did Daddy ever give you a pretty present. 7 orbs to be exact?"

'Oh Kami! That's what those things were! I tucked them away cause they were the last thing he ever gave me.' She stood there in shocked silence.

"Ahhh, so you do know what I am talking about. Now, hand them over so I don't have to mess up that pretty face of yours."

"In your dreams, freak! I'll take you down first." She picked up the closest object to her, a microscope, and threw it as his head. Dr. Gero ducked out of the way, but Bulma was already landing a punch across his face. She raised her leg to kick him back, but he caught her leg before it connected. He swung her around and she flipped over the nearby table, landing hard on her shoulder. She rolled a bit and then stood back up on shaky legs. She saw the red emergency light glowing faintly behind Dr. Gero, and got an idea. She would need to distract him first.

Dr. Gero started walking toward her. "You can't defeat me girl." Bulma turned and quickly picked up a chair. She swung it around, intending to hit him across the head. He ducked the chair, and came up swinging himself. His fist connected with her jaw. She fell to the ground and groaned. 

"Have you had enough? Shall we play some more?" Bulma cut her eyes over her shoulder to a panel in the wall. Dr. Gero followed her gaze. "Ahhh, you can't hide your expressions very well child." He stepped over her to get to the wall panel. Bulma quickly stood up and raced to the door. Dr. Gero didn't pay her any mind, wholly focused on the wall panel. He pried it open and looked inside. There, sitting on a bed of cloth, was a stethoscope. Dr. Gero grabbed it and turned around. 

"Bulmaaaaaaaaaaaaa" he shouted loudly. He saw her standing by the doorway. 

"Not what you were looking for, huh? Too bad asshole!" She slammed her hand on the access panel and the doors shut closed. She initiated the emergency sequence that would fill the room with a special gas. This gas was used in case intruders got to the lab and tried to steal something. The gas would knock them out for a few hours so that the authorities could arrive. She watched Dr. Gero fall to the ground, halfway to the door. 

She turned around and headed for her own lab. She had to find a way to help her friends. Surely she could think of something!

Meanwhile, during Bulma's fight

Vegeta

"Arrrrggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhh." He slammed back into the wall. If they kept this up, the whole damn house would come down on them. 'We can't get past his damn shield. Our blasts are reflected back or absorbed. That damn torque around his neck is protecting him. And those gloves! They pack the same punch as a ki blast and he has managed to fire some ki of his own. Damn that scientist!' He dodged a fist coming his way. He swung his leg to try to connect thru the shield, but it just bounced off. Kakarrot went flying back thru the wall this time from a left hook thrown by Mr. Satan. 

He flew backwards to consider his options. He needed to get him out of the house before they tore it down. The woman would be pissed if that happened. And him, if the GR got touched. He watched Mr. Satan closely. The shield moved with him, but stationary objects did not get repelled. The passed thru the barrier. 'Hmmmm there's got to be a way to use this. But how?!" Just as he was thinking this, he saw a flash of blue out of the corner of his eye. He turned and saw Bulma sneaking up behind Mr. Satan while he was busy laughing at Kakarrot's attempts to pierce his shield. She set the canister right on the outside of the shield. She backed away and ducked behind a piece of wall still standing.

'Ohhhh. It is my ki that she gathered up. Damn brilliant woman. 30 seconds left. 30 Seconds!!! That crazy fool!'

"Kakarrot. Hit him with all you got!"

"Okay, Vegeta!"

"Kaaaaa-Meee-Haaa-Meee-Haaaaaa!"

"Galick Gunnnnn"

With the force of both their blasts, Mr. Satan actually had to take a step back from the energy bombarding his shield and gloves. His shield went right over the canister. 

5...4...3..2..1....

BOOM!!!!!!!

Mr. Satan was blown forward, his shield shattered. Bulma, Kakarrot and him were blown backwards thru the walls of the house. He tried to get up, but his head was fuzzy. He hadn't taken a blast like that since Frieza. 'Damn, did that woman somehow increase the potency?' Right before he passed out, his last vision was of someone walking towards him, someone he knew..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Thank you for reading and leaving messages. I read all of them! I would like to say that I got Bulma's sneak attack from an episode of Star Wars. 
> 
> Also I want to thank my husband for allowing me to bounce ideas of him. He is the reason I got into Dragon Ball.


	15. Waking Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A very short chapter. Vegeta wakes up to figure out what happened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a very short chapter, but all I had time for tonight!

Vegeta

'Why is my chest itching?' That was his first thought before opening his eyes. He took a breath to get a sense of his surroundings before appearing to wake up. He was a little fuzzy on what had happened, so he didn't want to alert anyone that he was awake. He was lying on something soft. He could feel a soft breeze and smelled jasmine.....and metal. The woman's particular scent floated by him. He took another breath to fill his lungs with her scent. It seemed to calm him now. He slowly opened his eyes to look around. 

He was in a bedroom. Not Bulma's though. This was the one near the GR that he had picked out. The curtains and windows were open from across the room. It was dark outside. He glanced towards his right, where the simple desk would be. The small desk lamp was on. She was there, with her head down on the desk. Her hair cascaded all around her face so he couldn't see her. She had a blanket wrapped around her and she seemed to be asleep. 

'Why would she be asleep here and not in her own room? Foolish woman. She's going to get a crick in her neck and then be cranky for the rest of the evening.' He took stock of his body. His lungs felt on fire and his chest hurt. His head was pounding and he was hungry as hell. He slowly sat up and swung his legs to the floor. He let out a shaky breath. He hadn't been this badly wounded since his fight with Frieza. What the hell happened to cause this? He looked over at the woman, and saw a glass of water sitting there. He reached out to grab it and gulped it down. 

"Woman." No response.

"Woman," he said a little louder this time. Still no response.

"BULMA!" He shouted.

"Whhhhaaaa.....Ahhhhhhh!!!!!!" She jerked up and the chair tipped over backwards. She went head over heels and landed on her stomach. 

She popped her head up and looked over at him. "Vegeta? You're awake! Oh thank Kami!" She scrambled up and ran over to him. She knelt down in front him. His eyes grew big as he saw her face. Her cheek was black and blue. She had scratches across her forehead and around her neck. He could tell she hadn't slept either. Her eyes lacked their normal fire.

"How long have I been out of it? And what happened?" He asked.

"Well, it's only been about 24 hours. You were the closest to the blast. And I mean, really close. Kakarrot woke up first, I think. When I came to, he was leaning over you, making sure you were ok. I got up to check on the damage and see what was left. Mr. Satan.....he didn't make it. I let Chi Chi and Gohan out of the safe room in my lab. I don't know where Dr. Gero went though. I had him locked in my father's lab, but he was no longer there. I had Kakarrot bring you here to rest while I bandaged you up."

"What happened to you?" He slowly reached out a finger and touched the bruise on her cheekbone. She dipped her eyes down and fiddled with her shirt. 

"Oh. Dr. Gero and I went a round or two. Mr. Satan offered him a trade. Dr. Gero would do the technology, and he would get to have my father's Dragon Balls."

"Dragon Balls? What are these Dragon Balls? Wait, food. I need food first." He made to stand up and she put her hand on his chest. 

"Wait. Let me check the bandages first." She grabbed the end of the bandage and began to unwind it. She moved slowly, keeping her eyes on his chest. He stayed absolutely still. He barely even breathed. "Wow. Look at that. You are all healed. Your chest looked like shredded meat." She laid her bare hand on his chest and slowly moved it up to his shoulder. "I'm glad you're alright Vegeta." She stared into his eyes for a minute. He could see the worry there and the relief. The blue drew him in and eased his worry. She would be ok. Banged up, but ok.

She stepped back and walked towards the door. "Come on. I'll fix you a big meal."


	16. Recoup

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to build a plan to stop Dr. Gero.

Dr. Gero

The lab was deep in the mountain. Nobody would be able to find the entrance. He paced around his lab, picking up tools and setting them down. "Damn that incompetent fool! He had the perfect opportunity to end those Saiyans. Humans are so full of pitfalls. Even given the means of revenge through my brilliant technology, he still couldn't complete the job. And Bulma!!! Oh, that sneaky child will get whats coming to her. I'm going to make the perfect killing machine. Controlled only by me."

He walked over to look into the tank at the center of the room. Inside, a small form was floating with tubes attached to it. He grabbed one of the tubes feeding into form. Pulling out a syringe, filled with red blood, he injected it into the tube entrance. 'This should give it the boost that it needs to grow strong and developed. My beautiful creation. I cannot wait for you to be born.' He chuckled as he moved away from the tank, the semi-black liquid bathing his face in shadows. He would have his own revenge. And get those Dragon Balls!

Bulma

"So that's what the Dragon Balls are. They seem pretty harmless when you look at them. I have six of them. I need to gather the last one before Dr. Gero gets his hands on it. I'm pretty sure he is alive. He hasn't been found anywhere on the property."

She sat down beside Vegeta to eat her own meal. She hadn't really slept since the incident, expect for that power nap that Vegeta woke her up from. She was really glad he was ok. She had come to like the Saiyan and didn't want to see him hurt. Their constant bickering and arguments are something she looked forward to each day. Plus, he wasn't bad on the eyes. His body was sculpted to perfection. She had weaved her hands through his hair when he was resting. It was softer than you would expect. 

"What are you looking at?" Vegeta asked her.

"Oh! I'm sorry. I didn't mean to stare. I was just lost in my thoughts." She felt her cheeks get red as she glanced back down at her food.

"Heh" Vegeta commented beside her. Glancing out of the corner of her eye, she caught the slight smirk cross his lips. She smiled to herself. She would crack through that tough shell of his sooner or later. She wanted more than what had happened in the lab.

"Kakarrot and I need to start training again. If Dr. Gero can build weapons like the ones Mr. Satan wore, there's no telling what he will throw at us next. Also, I need you to build something. A Re-Gen chamber."

"A what?" She asked.

"A Re-Gen chamber. I have the one that was on my ship when I landed. It does not work anymore. You will need to figure out how to build another one. There is some fluid left, so hopefully it can be recreated. With these, I can use it to recover faster from training and gain more strength."

"A new project huh? I haven't worked with biological advancements much, but I'm sure I can do it. I need to sink my teeth into something to get over this recent disaster."

She got up to put their dishes away. She glanced over at him. "If you like, you can join me on my balcony in a few minutes. I like to have a nightcap before bed. And I definitely need one tonight." She glided out of the room, possibly swaying her hips a little more than usual. 

"Vulgar Woman" Vegeta said after her.

She laughed all the way to her room.


	17. Calm before the Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello! It's been awhile since I wrote, and I do apologize. This chapter will fill in on the progress of Bulma's new project, Vegeta's fighting progress, and Dr. Geros evil plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! It's been awhile since I wrote, and I do apologize. Enjoy!

Several weeks have gone by...

Bulma

Bulma watched the tank slowly fill with a blue green liquid. It wasn't exactly the color on the original Ren-Gen fluid, but it was the closest she could get. Hopefully the properties were close enough to do the same job. It had took a while to complete the project. She was not an expert in the biological field. But, if she did say so herself, she got along just fine despite the ten discarded chambers filling the large dumpster outside her lab. There was some issues to begin with. The fluid was hard to replicate. Earth did not have the exact properties of the original fluid so she had to improvise. A few times, these fluids did not mix well. She didn't think Vegeta would appreciate having his skin melt off, as one batch had ate through the metal. Speaking of the surly Saiyan, she needed him to get down here to try out the final mixture. She had run the test on plants and everything had thrived. Now, she needed a more complex biological structure to test out. 

Walking over to the com link she kept on the wall, she buzzed Vegeta in the gravity chamber, because where else would he be at three in the afternoon. 

"Vegeta, come to lab. I need to use you as a test monkey!" She grinned as she said that last part. She knew he hated being called that. Sure enough, she could hear the slamming of doors on her way to the lab. She could pinpoint where he was at just by the sounds. 

"Woman! Call me a monkey one more time and I will blast you!" he shouted at her as he strode into the room. He came to a stop right in front of her, giving her his best death glare. 

She grinned up at him and tapped him on the nose. "I have something to show you. Look what I finished!" She gestured grandly behind her to the newly redesigned Red-Gen chamber. It looked like the original. A clear glass on the front so you could see on the inside. Tubes coming into from the various healing mixtures. A mask floating in the liquid, waiting for an occupant.

"It's about time. Took you long enough." Vegeta said as he walked over to study the chamber.

"Oh hush it. Nobody could have done this in the amount of time I did!" She glared daggers at his back while he continued to stand there. "Well, are you going to try it out?" she asked.

"I have not gotten to the point where I need to. Kakarrot will need to battle me until I am almost dead. And then we will see if your contraption works." 

"That's a big risk to take Vegeta. Are you sure?" she asked worriedly. She knew her invention would work, but she was still hesitant to put it into a situation that called for life or death.

Vegeta glance over his shoulder and smirked at her. "You doubt your invention Bulma? It will work. Otherwise, you would not have told me it was finished." He strode from the room to head back outside. She watched him walk away in his tight spandex. She loved watching him walk away. That man had a gorgeous ass.

Vegeta

"COME ON KAKARROT!" he yelled out. "Dr. Gero will come back at any moment to try to destroy us. I know he is still alive and will want revenge. We cannot let up. We must get stronger. I must get stronger!"

He dodged and blocked a flurry of jabs and kicks. Kakarrot flipped backwards and threw some blasts his way. He dogged them easily. He knew he could get stronger. There was another level just beyond his reach. He could feel it. It was just beyond his reach. He would have to push and push hard to get there. That new chamber would help his quicken his ascent. 

"Kaaaaaaa-" Vegeta jerked his gaze to Kakarrot's hands and the blue orb growing in size. 'Now that's more like it! Bring it on and do your worse Kakarrot!'

A few hours later...

Bulma

Bulma was sitting at her bank of computers when she got a ding from her security cameras. She watched the monitor as Goku crossed her yard with Vegeta flung over his shoulder. "Bulma!" he shouted out. She remotely opened the doors to allow him down to the labs. He had been down there a few times so he knew the way. She jumped out of her chair and began readying the Ren-Gen chamber. 

"Bulma! I hope that chamber works cause I hit him really bad. He didn't put up much of a guard and took my blast head on."

"It's ok. I'm hoping this works." Bulma walked up the stairs beside the tank and opened the top. She moved to the side as Goku lowered Vegeta feet first. She fitted the mask over his face that had been pulled up by her pressing a button. She watched as he sank down and stayed suspended in the middle. The buoyancy of liquid allowed him to stay suspended mid chamber. Goku and her walked down the steps after she closed the hatch. She began a sequence of events that would allow the various healing properties to flow in and the liquid to be recycled thru to wash out any debris and fluids. She pulled up a chair and sat in front the tank. 

She would be here when he woke up.

Dr. Gero

'It is almost time to wake up my creation. Just one more day and it will be ready. They won't know what hit them.' He walked over to look into his chamber. The body was perfection. Sleek like a predator. More refined than the original model. The hair though. No matter what he did, he couldn't tame the hair. That was fine though. It would just fuel the fear even more. The flame swept hair was a signature. One he would use to spread fear and distrust.


	18. Imposter

Bulma

"We interrupt this broadcast to bring you live footage of downtown West City."

"This is Mary and as you can see behind me, the Saiyan that had once saved his town is now rampaging thru the city. He is blowing up buildings and terrorizing the people in the streets. We don't what has happened to our once hero, but this is clearly a path of destruction."

Bulma stared at the screen. She couldn't believe her eyes. Shaking herself, she ran over to the comm unit and buzzed the gravity chamber. "Vegeta, you need to get to the lab now." Perhaps he sensed the gravity of her voice because a minute later he was striding thru her lab doors. 

"What is it?" he asked. She pointed at the TV monitor where the live footage was still being shown. As they watched together, a Vegeta look-a-like let off a powerful blast that struck a nearby park. He turned in the air and had spotted the camera woman. Quickly, he flew over to the camera. "Are you watching me, you pitiful humans? This is the might of a Saiyan. You should bow down before me and beg for your life!" He smirked at the camera, then he raised his hand. The last image on the screen was a ball of white light before static took over.

"What. The. Hell. Is. Going. ON?" Vegeta shouted. Bulma glanced over at him to see his fists clenched and whole form shaking. His eyes were glued to the screen even with the static playing. 

"Well, someone made a copy of you. And I bet we can guess exactly who it is. Good thing that the chamber worked on your wounds. You are going to need a power boost to destroy an android, if thats what he or it is." Bulma looked over at the Red-Gen chamber that he had used that day Goku beat him down. On purpose. It had taken 3 hours for the the wounds to finally seal up and stop bleeding. Three more hours to heal the internal injuries by way of absorption. It had worked though. Vegeta had gotten out of the chamber and immediately powered up. He said he felt more powerful and he could feel the transformation at the tip of his fingertips.

"I'm going to take care of this imposter. How dare he call himself a Saiyan!" 

Bulma could feel her hair standing on end as he began to power up beside her. "Hold up there Vegeta. Don't you start that in MY lab. I just got everything in order. Go get Goku, and you two finish him off."

"I don't need his help." Vegeta stomped out of the lab. Bulma watched him thru the cameras as he left the property. As soon as he was gone, she rushed over to the phone. 

"Chi Chi. I need to speak to Goku please!"


	19. Face Off

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vegeta vs Vegeta

Vegeta

Flying straight for the area of the city that he had seen the imposter, he started to slowly power up. He wanted to make sure he was at full strength by the time he got there. Bulma's little bots she made for him was nothing compared to this. He was going to have a hard fight on his hands, especially if he was made from his own DNA. One of the only things on his side was his battle knowledge. Instincts could not be transferred inside an android. You could upload all the battle strategies known across the universe and that still would not be enough against pure instinct. 

He could not sense the Androids power though. He flew throughout the city, looking at the destruction. Whenever someone would glimpse him, they ran screaming back into the building. 'Hmm, he has to be here somewhere. I will need to draw him out.' Stopping in the middle of the park and hovering above a large oak tree, Vegeta raised his hand into the air and let out a series of ki bursts. They shot up into the air like fireworks and exploded into a bright red flash. Slowly spinning in a circle, Vegeta waiting for the imposter to come to him. 

"Hello Vegeta. Nice of you to come out and finally play!"

Turning his head to look over his shoulder, he smirked at the Android. "You answered my call. Not many would willingly come and meet their death!" Vegeta threw a ki blast at the android and began to fight him hand to hand. A flurry of kicks and punches followed, interrupted by quirk burst of ki flashes. Vegeta finally got above the android and brought down both fists on its head. 'Damn, it has a hard head. Whatever metal that is, its near impenetrable!' He reached for more power, knowing he was close to his limit. He just needed to break through his threshold. Pulling back after a round house kick, he got into his Final Flash pose. He powered up the ki between his hands. "FINAL. FLASH!" He shot the ki toward the android. The android dodged the blow and fired back his own final flash. 

"You just don't understand Vegeta. I have all of your moves. Your strength. But you cannot match me in power. My power is unlimited! There is no end to it! I could do this for millennia!"

'Damn. I can't wear him out. I will have to outsmart him. Find a weakness.' He sensed a ki coming at him at high speed. 'That woman called Kakarrot! I don't need his help. That interfering brat!' 

"Hey Vegeta! And other Vegeta...whoa so who is who?" Kakarrot lifted his hand behind his head to scratch at it. He glanced between the two, trying to figure out what to do.

"You idiot. I am Vegeta. Now help me defeat this Android!"

"Oh you have got to be the real Vegeta. Only the real Vegeta is ever that cranky. So yea, Bulma sent me to help out while she tried to figure out how to help with the android."

"I don't need your help! I was doing just fine!" He floated there with his arms crossed. "But, go ahead and make a fool of yourself. See what you can do" Vegeta flew to a nearby tree and sat on a branch to watch. 'While he is distracting the android, I can work on my plan to destroy him.'

He felt Kakarrot power up and watched him begin to battle the android. They seemed to flash from building to building they were moving so fast. Craters popped up all over the ground. Watching the android carefully, Vegeta began to formulate a plan. As soon as he stood up to take off to join the fight, he heard Bulma calling from the ground. Widening his eyes he glanced down at her.

"Woman. What the hell are you doing here?"

"Helping you, you big dolt. I know how to stop the android!" She held up a remote switch in her hand that had two prongs sticking out of the top it. "You've got to jab this in his central cortex, wherever that is. You will have to find that out." Just as she started to throw the remote up to him, the imposter appeared behind her.

"Well, well. Hello Bulma. Have you come to watch the demise of the Saiyans? And what is that you have there? Oh no, that will not do at all." Grabbing Bulma by the back of the head, he tossed her into the tree. She crashed against the tree and lay still at the bottom of it. 

"THATS MY BULMA!" Vegeta roared into the sky.


	20. Chapter 20

Vegeta

"That's my Bulma!" he roared. His emotions were all over the place. That woman had gotten under his skin and pushed him to his mental limits, but he would not stand to see her hurt. Not when she was trying to help. He hovered in the air, took a deep breath in, and let out the loudest battle yell he possibly could. He felt his power peak and then break through. His mind focused with razor sharp clarity. His power transcended past what he had ever known. Looking into the android's reflection, he saw his hair turn blonde and his eyes a burning teal. There was a yellow aura surrounding his body. 'I have done it. I have surpassed my limit! Now, I know I can defeat this imposter.'

He took off after the android. He appeared behind him and blasted him from behind. While the android blew forward, he flashed again in front of him. He let loose a series of kicks and punches. The androids face began to crack and you could see the steel and wiring beneath the skin. For the next ten minutes he continued to batter at the android. Piece began to fall off of it. A toe here. A finger there. With a shark right kick, a portion of leg below the knee flew off. But, Vegeta knew he was coming to the end of his power. He could not sustain this form for long. He had not trained yet in this form, and his body was not prepared for it. If he could just last a little longer, he would have the android completely torn apart. Rising above the android, he began his move for Final Flash. Right before he released it, the android blew up! He turned to release his flash toward the sky, to prevent any more destruction.

"What the hell happened?!"

He looked toward the ground and saw a little bald monk there beside Bulma. He had his hand on the trigger that Bulma had brought. Bulma's eye were fluttering and he could see her lips moving. Flashing down them, he landed in a crouch. Pulling himself up, he closed his eyes to reign in his new transformation. Kakarrot ran up to him. 

"Wow Vegeta! You did it! You're a Super Saiyan! Man, our sparring matches are going to be epic!"

"Of course I achieved idiot. If you can do it, so can I! And, you! Bald guy! Why would you do that? I was about to destroy that android! You cost me my final battle victory!"

"Ah man! I'm sorry Mr. Vegeta. I didn't mean to do that to you. I was trying to end the destruction and Bulma told me how to do it. She was worried more people would get hurt. I'm Krillan, by the way. A friend of Bulma and Kakarrot."

"Tch", Vegeta said looking toward the woman. She had a nasty gash on the side of her head and she was cradling her ribs. She may have broken them. 'I'll take her to the regeneration chamber. She can heal in there.' Stepping towards Bulma, he lifted her up in his arms. She winced and cradled her arms around her ribs. 

"Vegeta....let's go home."

Staring down at her, he gave her a short nod. He took off into the sky towards Capsule Corp. 'She will heal. I will not allow for her to be injured.'


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Healing...

Vegeta

Setting down in front of Capsule Corp, he strode through the front doors, down to the lab, and straight to the ReGen Chamber. Popping open the top with one hand, he went through the motions mechanically. His mind was a blank void. He would not allow emotion to rule him. He had to purposefully keep his mind blank in order to function. Attach the wire here. Set in the codes on the pad. Take a breath. After closing the top hatch, he climbed down the steps and peered inside.

'She looks peaceful there. I don't think I have ever seen her this....still. Even while sleeping.' He had stood watch over her on her balcony after she had fallen asleep several times. Even in sleep, she was restless. Now, she was floating in the liquid, her eyes closed with her blue hair floating around her. Since knowing her, it has felt like he lived in the middle of a hurricane. And now, this was like being in the eye of the storm. Every day, something was going on within the house. And while he tried to stay apart, he found himself drawn to her shenanigans. He enjoyed watching her work, her mind a constant surprise. She was incredibly smart, but he would never admit that to her. And their fights! That woman could give as good as she got. Again, he would never admit it, but he looked forward to those moments. They took him out of his head and offered him a break from the relentless pressure that he didn't know he needed. Checking the timer on the tank, he figured he would have enough time to grab a bite to eat. Going Super drained him for the first time. It was to be expected. He would need to train in that form in order for it to last longer. The calories burned in that fight was needing replenishing. Taking one last look over the chamber to make sure everything was right, he strode towards the kitchen. 

'I finally did it. Now, I just need to learn to focus it and train harder. Once I make sure the Woman is well, I will resume my training. She may need to strengthen the gravity chamber.'

Bulma

She was drifting like when she does in the pool on hot summer days. But she knew, somehow, that instead of being on top of the water, she was completely submerged. She kept her eyes closed, trying to remember what had happened last. Vegeta was fighting that android. She had arrived with the transponder...and then flying thru the air. Her body jerked remembering that blow. She felt the sudden rush of fluid flowing past her and hands hooking underneath her arms to drag her up. Opening her eyes, she looked upwards and saw a black flame of hair. 'Vegeta. He's here.' She closed her eyes again against the bright lights of her lab as she emerged from the tank. Vegeta sat her on the edge of the tank and began to take off the wires and mask around her face. After the last wire was removed, he gripped her face between his palms. 'He's not wearing gloves!' she thought. She stared into his eyes. So much flashed through them that she didn't have time to identify them all. He leaned forward and rested his forehead upon hers. There, they stared at each other, sharing a wordless conversation...

'You foolish woman, you got hurt.'  
Did you you defeat the Android?'  
'Of course.'  
'Did you achieve Super?'  
'Yes.'  
'I'm safe now. With you here, I'm always safe.'  
'Yes.'

He closed his eyes breaking the connection. To her surprise, he lifted her up into his arms and carried her out of her lab. She wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head against his shoulder. She felt so calm. Like a weight had been lifted off of her shoulders. The android was stopped and Vegeta had achieved his goal. All other worries could wait until tomorrow. She took a deep breath and could smell him. She really liked his smell. She peaked around and saw that they were in her bedroom, heading for the bathroom. He slowly let her feet touch the floor, and steadied her with his hands on her hips. 

"Shower, Bulma. I will wait outside."

He turned and left her standing in the bathroom. Mechanically, she washed and did her routine. Drying off, she slipped on her royal blue robe and tied the knot at her waist. It was a robe she had made not too long ago. It was special to her and hopefully it wouldn't anger Vegeta. Taking a deep breath, she turned the knob and opened the door to her bedroom. Scanning the room, she saw Vegeta standing by her balcony door looking out at the sky. She eyed his form, looking for injuries. He was wearing his tight training suit that showed off the skin of his arms and shoulders. The rest hugged a body that was insanely ripped. No human could begin to try to achieve his form. She didn't see any damage to her relief, but she did notice that he had kept his gloves off and his feet were bare. 

"Vegeta, are you ok?"

Slightly turning his head to look over his shoulder he replied. "Of course I am Woman. Why wouldn't I be?" Huffing, he turned fully to face to her. The moon's glow lit him from behind, but she could see the gleam in his eyes as he stared at her. He walked towards her slowly and made his way around to her back. She figured he was making sure she was whole. Holding her breath, she noticed when he stopped walking and stared at her back. 

"Where did you come by this symbol?" Vegeta asked. She felt the heat from his single finger as he traced the symbol. 

"When we went to go get the RenGen chamber, I notice this symbol on a seal by your bed. You had no other memento in that cave, so I figured it was important to you. I had the robe made with it not too long ago. I hope you don't mind Vegeta. I just felt...comforted by having something of you nearby." She talked quickly, afraid that he would leave or take offense. 

"It is the House of Vegeta symbol. The royal family seal. You even got the colors right. The symbol a red and the robe a royal blue." he whispered softly. Coming to stand in front of her, he looked into her eyes. "It suits you, Bulma."

Take a deep breath of relief, she smiled. Slowly, she untied her robe and let it slowly fall off from her shoulders. Keeping her eyes on his, she said, "Please, Vegeta. Don't leave me tonight."


End file.
